Prevagen vs Neuriva (2026): Buy Neuriva Original
By Erin Rose Updated October 13, 2026 Methodology
Neither has strong proof. If you want one of the two, buy Neuriva Original. Its maker tested this exact formula in a published trial, and it costs less a day. Prevagen’s own study missed its main goal, and a court has barred its memory claims.
Claims barred
Prevagen Regular Strength
- Cost
- $1.13 per day
- Its own study
- Missed its main goal
Why Neuriva Original wins
- Its formula was tested, and the trial was published. Neuriva’s maker gave 138 adults aged 40 to 65 with memory complaints Neuriva Original’s doses or a placebo for 6 weeks. They did better on some memory tasks, though not on a memory questionnaire.
- Prevagen’s study missed. According to the FTC, the company’s own placebo study found no difference on any of its nine memory tasks. In 2024 a jury found eight Prevagen memory claims lacked scientific support, and a judge barred them.
- It costs less. $0.95 a day, against $1.13 for Prevagen Regular Strength and $1.67 for Extra Strength.
What Prevagen does better: it is on NSF’s supplement list, which checks that the bottle matches the label. Neuriva is not on it (searched October 13, 2026). Prevagen also adds 50 mcg of vitamin D.
Want stronger proof than either? A daily multivitamin for adults 50+, like Centrum Silver, was tested on memory in COSMOS, a large study of adults 60 and older. It costs $0.09 a day; Prevagen costs about 13 times as much. Check Centrum Silver
We earn a commission if you buy through these links. It never changes a score or the order.
What is in each, per day
Both are one capsule a day. They share no ingredients.
| Per day | Neuriva Original | Neuriva Plus | Prevagen Regular |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee fruit extract Neuriva’s trial: 100 mg | 100 mg | 200 mg | None |
| Phosphatidylserine (PS) Trials the FDA reviewed: 300 mg | 100 mg | 100 mg | None |
| Apoaequorin | None | None | 10 mg |
| B6, B12, folic acid | None | Yes | None |
| Vitamin D | None | None | 50 mcg |
| Pills a day | 1 capsule | 1 capsule | 1 capsule |
| Was this exact pill tested? | Yes, by its maker | No | Yes, by its maker |
- Coffee fruit extract is made from the whole fruit of the coffee plant; Neuriva’s is decaffeinated. One small study found it raised a brain-related protein (BDNF) in the blood after a single dose. That is a blood marker, not a memory result.
- Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a fat found in brain cells. The FDA lets labels say it “may reduce the risk of cognitive dysfunction in the elderly” only with the warning that there is “little scientific evidence supporting this claim.” The trials behind that used 300 mg a day. Neuriva has 100 mg.
- Apoaequorin is a protein first found in jellyfish. The FTC says the company’s own safety studies show it is broken down in the gut like other dietary protein (FTC).
Which Neuriva? Original is the one that was tested
Neuriva sells several formulas. Only Original matches the doses in its trial.
- Original ($0.95 a day): 100 mg coffee fruit extract and 100 mg PS. The tested formula.
- Plus ($1.33 a day): twice the coffee fruit, plus vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid. Not tested as this formula. It is the best seller.
- Ultra ($1.33 a day, 2 capsules): Plus’s formula with 300 mg of galangal (Alpinia galanga) extract added, sold for alertness.
Neuriva has faced a lawsuit too. In 2020, buyers sued over its “clinically proven” claims. A settlement was approved in 2022, then thrown out by an appeals court in 2023 (Truth in Advertising).
If you already take a multivitamin, the B vitamins in Plus add little. Check Neuriva Plus
Prevagen’s study and the court case
- The study. According to the FTC, the company ran a placebo-controlled study that found no difference on any of nine computer memory tasks. It then ran more than 30 more analyses of smaller groups. Its label now says its “Improves Memory” claim is “based on a clinical study of subgroups of individuals who were cognitively normal or mildly impaired.”
- The verdict. The FTC and New York’s attorney general sued in 2017. In March 2024 a federal jury found that all eight challenged memory claims were not backed by “competent and reliable scientific evidence,” and that two were misleading (court order). The judge then barred all eight nationwide, including “Prevagen is clinically shown to improve memory.” No money was awarded.
- Now. The company and the government have appealed. As of October 13, 2026 we found no ruling on the appeal (case summary).
What the labels say
Both are one capsule a day. Neuriva lists soy; Prevagen lists milk and soy.
Price: Neuriva Original costs less a day than Prevagen
| Bottle | Price | Lasts | Per day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neuriva Original, 28 capsules | $26.57 | 28 days | $0.95 |
| Prevagen Regular Strength, 60 capsules | $67.95 | 60 days | $1.13 |
| Neuriva Plus, 30 capsules | $39.99 | 30 days | $1.33 |
| Neuriva Ultra, 60 capsules | $39.89 | 30 days | $1.33 |
| Prevagen Extra Strength, 60 capsules | $99.95 | 60 days | $1.67 |
| Centrum Silver Adults 50+, 220 tablets | $19.12 | 220 days | $0.09 |
Who should buy which
- You want one of these two brandsNeuriva Original
The formula its maker tested, $0.95 a day. Check price
- You want the label checked by an outside labPrevagen Regular Strength
On NSF’s supplement list, $1.13 a day. The proof it helps memory is weak. Check price
- You are 60 or older and want the best-tested optionCentrum Silver Adults 50+
Tested on memory in the COSMOS study, $0.09 a day. Check price
- Your memory is fine and you want to keep it that wayMaybe neither
Neither pill has strong proof. If your memory is changing, see your doctor first. More: every memory supplement we checked.
More: all the memory supplements we checked, phosphatidylserine and citicoline. Memory problems that are new or getting worse? See your doctor first. This page is not medical advice.
Questions
Which is better, Prevagen or Neuriva?
Neuriva Original. Its maker tested this exact formula in a published, placebo-controlled trial, and some memory tasks improved. It costs $0.95 a day, against $1.13 for Prevagen Regular Strength. Prevagen’s own study missed its main goal, according to the FTC, and a court has barred eight of its memory claims.
Does Prevagen really work?
The proof is weak. According to the FTC, the company’s own placebo study found no difference on any of its nine memory tasks. In March 2024 a federal jury found that eight Prevagen memory claims lacked scientific support, and a judge barred them. The company and the government have appealed.
Is Neuriva Plus better than Neuriva Original?
Not on the evidence. Neuriva’s trial tested Original: 100 mg of coffee fruit extract and 100 mg of PS. Plus doubles the coffee fruit and adds vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid, but that formula was not tested. Plus also costs more a day.
Is Prevagen safe?
We found no large study of its safety. Prevagen contains milk and soy. Ask your doctor before you start any memory supplement, especially if you take other medicines.
Is there anything better than both?
For adults 50 and older, a daily multivitamin. In three large NIH-funded trials, older adults who took Centrum Silver did slightly better on memory tests than people on a placebo. It costs $0.09 a day. See our memory supplements guide.
Sources
- Labels: NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database 300906 (Neuriva Original), 300905 (Neuriva Plus), 309610 (Neuriva Ultra), 293714 (Prevagen Regular Strength), 293710 (Prevagen Extra Strength). Amazon listings, read October 17, 2026: Neuriva Original, Neuriva Plus, Neuriva Ultra, Prevagen Regular, Prevagen Extra.
- Testing: NSF/ANSI 173, “Prevagen” (listed) and “Neuriva” (none), searched October 13, 2026.
- Doma KM, et al. “A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel Study Investigating the Efficacy of a Whole Coffee Cherry Extract and Phosphatidylserine Formulation on Cognitive Performance of Healthy Adults with Self-Perceived Memory Problems.” Neurology and Therapy. 2023. PubMed 36929344
- Reyes-Izquierdo T, et al. “Modulatory effect of coffee fruit extract on plasma levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in healthy subjects.” British Journal of Nutrition. 2013. PubMed 23312069
- FDA. Phosphatidylserine qualified health claim letters, May 13, 2003 and November 24, 2004 (claim wording and disclaimer; trials used 300 mg a day).
- People of the State of New York and FTC v. Quincy Bioscience, No. 17 Civ. 124 (S.D.N.Y.), order of May 3, 2024 (jury findings of March 11, 2024). FTC v. Quincy Bioscience, 2d Cir. summary order, February 21, 2019 (the company study, as described in the FTC complaint). FTC business blog, January 9, 2017.
- Prevagen injunction and appeal: Mintz, “Cognitive Dissonance”, February 20, 2026. Neuriva lawsuit (Williams v. Reckitt Benckiser, S.D. Fla.): Truth in Advertising.
- Vyas CM, et al. COSMOS cognition meta-analysis. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2024. PubMed 38244989